Pre-Match Preparations Coaching Character

One way to reach new tennis players in your area is through your local schools. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has a program called the Net Generation School Tennis Program, where K-12 PE teachers can register for a free tennis curriculum and equipment package. Eligible PE teachers will receive SHAPE America curriculum for grades K- 12, 30 size appropriate racquets, 36 tennis balls, net tape, chalk and a Net Generation roller bag to keep it all in. This $600 value is totally FREE! PE teachers are required to set up a FREE account on USTA.com, add your school program and sign a Community Partner Agreement. This whole process takes less than 10 minutes! Additionally, the USTA offers free Net Generation PE Tennis Workshops for K-12 PE Teachers. This is another great opportunity to offer PE teachers so they are better equipped to teach tennis.

Contact your USTA/Midwest Section Tennis Service Representative with any questions.

The USTA Midwest Collegiate Committee has asked the USPTA Midwest Professionals to raise awareness of collegiate tennis opportunities for our high school tennis playing constituents. Midwest teaching professionals can convey a great deal of information regarding college tennis opportunities by logging onto these sites: • Facebook page “Midwest Collegiate Tennis Hub” • Wearecollegetennis.com - ITA • tennisoncampus.com - promotes intramural tennis on college campuses

Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin Greg Boyd, greg@midwest.usta.com Mid-South Illinois Bret Schrama, bret@midwest.usta.com Northern Illinois Gina Jasovic, gina@midwest.usta.com Chicago Mary Beth Bowman, marybeth@midwest.usta.com Northern Indiana Sarah Stanchin, sarah@midwest.usta.com Central Indiana Jaxon Montague, jaxon@midwest.usta.com Northeastern/Southeastern Michigan Susan Courtright, susan@midwest.usta.com Northern Michigan Karen Savage, savage@midwest.usta.com Western Michigan Sydney Whitfield, sydney@midwest.usta.com Northeastern Ohio Rebecca Hancart, rebecca@midwest.usta.com Northwestern Ohio Amy Beaverton, amy@midwest.usta.com Cincinnati area Nikki Cioffi, nikki@midwest.usta.com

Nearly FOUR MILLION more Americans played tennis at least once in 2020, and ball and racquet sales have skyrocketed. The USPTA Midwest Division is partnering with the USTA/Midwest Section to tap into this new market of players to help grow participation and the love of our sport with Play Tennis Midwest!

Play Tennis Midwest is happening the weekend of May 21-23 and will focus on attracting and engaging players who are not currently involved with the USTA or a tennis facility. Each USTA Midwest District is organizing FREE introductory events in their area. Each event will feature interactive tennis activities, games and play in a fun and festive environment for juniors, adults and families.

Contact your USTA/Midwest Section Tennis Service Representative (TSR) for additional information on how you can get involved with a Play Tennis Midwest event in your area.

Do you remember opening your browser the first day of the 2015 US Open to see the animated Google’s Doodle with letters O and G playing tennis?

Presenter:Jorge Capestany, USPTA Master Professional by Cathy Thomas, USPTA Elite Professional

Jorge presented such an awesome topic for all the teaching pros and high school coaches. He has a unique way of showing and clearly explaining to everyone how to execute the drills.

Once the presentation started, he explained how the five play situations that everyone will ever be doing. These include serving, return, baseline, net pay and passing and lobs. He included drills for small and large groups. Some of the consistency drills he mentions people tend to push rather than hit through the ball. His drill was to have the players try to outlast the pair next to them on the same court. He suggests hitting six balls before the team next to you does.

Throughout the presentation he explains that you should have a variety of drills and not do the same every practice so to make it interesting and engaging to the players. Doubles are a necessity for the college players. Many programs do not practice doubles enough. Great question and answer session at the end. Thank you again Jorge for productive and fun drills!

Presenter:Wendy Whitlinger by Dan Oliver, USPTA Elite Professional

I recently attended the Midwest Virtual Convention and viewed a seminar by Wendy Whitlinger on Mental Toughness and how to use it in your tennis teaching. The seminar touched on how the right mindset and positive attitude can help you reach your performance potential. Wendy showed different tools you can use to help your students achieve success.

Presenter: Mark Faber, Elite Professional by Cathy Thomas, USPTA Elite Professional

Speaker Mark Faber has been a high school head coach, team coach for USTA Midwest Section, worked in the tennis industry and is a player on various team sports. His advice to coaches and pros cross both professions: have good mentors, use communication skills, be sincere to put people first, stay true to your works and be a hustler in the right way. What not to do is micromanage, care only about the dollar or winning, use manipulation and manage/coach by fear.

There are similarities with coaching a team and working with club staff: goals, desired outcome, work together, have leaders and followers, plus know everyone is replaceable. In what way to do you speak about your team or staff? Is it singular using I or me, or is it plural using we?

The club and team building process is also similar. Establish your goal or vision, remembering one player/staff member can destroy or make a team/club. Take inventory checks on the best way to communicate to player/staff and to understand not only yourself, but also the staff and team. Create a culture. Great things come together when you cooperate. You need to follow through. Unless you deliver, you just talk. Empower your staff/ team to do things and follow through. Evaluate and re-evaluate. Are you going in the direction you want to go? Build on the positive and adjust the negative.

For example, the Stop Light Analogy talks about keeping your thoughts in the green light zone where you are positive, calm and focused, noticing when you enter the yellow light zone where your thoughts are hesitant, negative and distracted and staying out of the red light zone where you are scared, angry and emotional.

She states the importance of mental toughness training is as important as physical training and should be an equal part of your student’s development. After all, she says you can’t go far with a flat tire: Change it!